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0 <br />developed from past and future habitat suitability studies. Habitat <br />enhancement of natural and man-made riverine features could assist <br />in the recovery of razorback sucker in the upper Colorado River. <br />Existing side channels, tributaries, and old river oxbows could be <br />0 utilized as either seasonal backwaters or managed as year-round <br />rearing habitats. Man-made gravel pits could be enhanced to benefit <br />razorback sucker. Graded gravel pits that flood during spring <br />runoff and drain naturally as flows recede may benefit razorback <br />sucker by providing feeding, resting, and possibly spawning areas <br />while minimizing potential establishment of non-native predaceous <br />D fishes. Gravel pits diked from the river could be used as grow-out <br />ponds for razorback sucker. All undesirable fish would be removed <br />prior to stocking young razorback sucker. Progeny from wild <br />broodstock collected from the upper Colorado River would be stocked <br />in these grow-out ponds in the spring or summer, and reared until <br />they are suitable for release into the river. <br />0 5. A pre-stocking survey may be needed in areas targeted for stocking <br />to investigate the native and introduced fish community where <br />information is outdated or absent. Future habitat suitability <br />studies may provide this information if studies are designed to <br />collect such data. <br />6. Initially, either large juvenile (250 to 300 mm total length) or <br />D adult razorback sucker would be released in the upper Colorado River <br />in the early spring. Fish intended for stocking would be PIT tagged <br />at the hatchery at a length of about 100 mm to 125 mm. <br />Approximately 10 to 20 fish, each equipped with radio transmitters, <br />39 <br />D